Major city road reopens after flooding

A key city road flooded after two rivers burst their banks has reopened after it was temporarily closed for the second time this year.

Abingdon Road in Oxford was cordoned off early in the morning after the Thames and Cherwell overflowed following Storm Conall - but motorists continued to drive through floodwater.

It reopened to motorists at about 15:00 GMT but traffic remained slow.

As of 17:00, there were 15 flood warnings in place for Berkshire and Oxfordshire, as well as another 25 flood alerts.

Flood warnings were in place along the River Thames, including at Shiplake, Lower Shiplake, Wargrave, Purley, Dorchester, Culham and Abingdon.

Clifton Hampden, Dorchester and Little Wittenham were also subject to flood warnings.

Flood alerts were also in place along the River Cherwell at Lower Heyford and Oxford, along the River Ock in Abingdon and along the River Ray in Islip.

In Berkshire, flood alerts remained in place for the Kennet and its tributaries from Berwick Bassett down to Newbury, and along the same river from Thatcham to Reading.

The deputy leader of Oxford City Council, Anna Railton, said the response of some road users who drove through flood waters on Abingdon Road despite warnings was “super disappointing”.

It was closed in January after severe flooding in the wake of Storm Henk.

Ms Railton said: “One of the things we learned from [previous flooding in] January was the closure of Abingdon Road had to be managed way better. So it’s frustrating to see that is not the case again.

“I’m pretty sad that so many people are driving through what is clearly a police road closure in both directions.”

Oxfordshire County Council, which manages the road, said it was closed “for a short time” on Wednesday morning so water could be pumped away.

The authority said the bus gate in High Street was not being enforced temporarily so road users could use it as an alternative to Abingdon Road.

Dean Gosnell, who lives in Purley and saw his home flooded in January and February, said: “It’s difficult to clean it all up afterwards. None of the drainage works so that causes more problems.

"There is very little that can be done. People cannot stop the water so if it’s coming, it’s coming.

“Every time it happens everybody gets together and says we need to do something... and then it dries and everyone goes back to their lives and forgets about it and nothing ever really gets done."

The railways have also endured problems. Services at Newbury station were delayed after sewage covered a platform following a water main burst.

It had already been hit by flooding from Storm Bert at the weekend, which meant fewer trains could use the station.

However, Great Western Railway said it was expecting the situation to improve in the coming days.

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